Type-writer



(No Model.)

L. T. POSS & T. K. KEITH.

TYPE WRITER.

No. 441,654. Patented Dec. 2, 1

m: uoams versus cm, mom-mum, wAsmNuTcN, n. c.

YNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEYVI S T. FOSS AND THOMAS K. KEITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,654, dated December2, 1890.

Application filed February 17, 1890. Serial No. 340,791. (No model.)

filed by us February 11, 1889, Serial No.

299,425, and allowed November 20, 1889, and more particularlya secondspecification filed by us December 9, 1889, serially numbered 333,138,and now pending, to which reference may be had fora description of saidmachine, and particularly for portions not shown and described in thesedrawings and specification.)

This invention relates particularly to correctly centering type-tippedplungers as they rise to print, and thereby securing regular andaccurate alignment.-

Our invention consists of small movable metallic fingers orrocker-levers with their inner ends or heads somewhat broadened in theform of a T, adjusted in an opening in a span or bridge, and anink-ribbon passing over the same held at the proper tension bytension-springs.

The object of ourinvention is to perfect the machine described in ourprevious specification, above referred to, by providing a mechanism foraccurately centering type "tipped plungers as they rise at differentangles toward a central pointzto print a letter or char? actor, andthereby secure even and regular alignment, clear and sharp impressions,and with the least possible friction.

Our invention consists of the improvements shown in the accompanyingdrawings, and hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the bridge, showing the opening for thetype-tipped plunger, the four movable fingers or rocker-levers, inkribbon, ribbon rollers, and tensionsprings. Fig. 2 is a front elevationof the same, showing the inner ends of the fingers or rocker-leversraised or centered. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of part of same, linex at,

Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is one of the fingers or'rockerlevers enlarged inperspective. Fig. 5 is the upper unelastic ends of plungers with typeson upper tips. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional side View of the upperpart of the machine with type-tipped plunger raised and centered by therocker-levers and type pressed against the ink-ribbon as in'the act ofprinting a character. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the upper part ofthe machine, also with typetipped plunger raised and centered as inprinting a character.

Corresponding letters in the several figures of the drawings designatelike parts, refer ring to which A is a metallic bridge to be secured tothe uppershelf of the frame-work of the machine. B are the movablefingers or rocker-levers which guide and center the tips of the plungersbearing the types.

0 is the ink-ribbon, and D the tensionsprings, which regulate thetension of the inkribbon.

E are rollers, over which the ink-ribbon passes on its Way to the reelson which it winds.

. F represents type-tipped slotted sleeves intended to be secured to theupper ends of elastic spiral plungers, which reciprocate in a generalvertical direction outside curved directing-rods.

G are types.

H is the printing-roller on which the paper is held to receive theimpressions from the which the a is a circular piece of metal having aconical opening in its center, and on the upper side of which (near theopening) are shoulders, to which are fulcrumed the rocker-levers B. Y

The bridge A has a circular opening in its center, and from thiscircular opening four wide slots in the form of a cross are cut. Thepiece of metal with the rocker-levers attached is fitted to the bridgefrom below, with the outer ends of the rocker-levers in the slots abovereferred to, and the piece a is screwed to the under side of the bridge,thus leaving the rocker-levers free to work on their' pivots.

b is the inner surface of the conical opening and constitutes the outerportion or rim of a guiding-funnel.

c are pivot-pins on which the rocker-levers B work, and by which theyare attached or secured to the shoulders on the piece a.

c is the hole in the rocker-lever through which the pivot-pin passes.

d is the opening through which the typetipped ends of the plungers passthrough the bridge A to make the impression on the paper, and e areguide-posts to hold the ink-ribbon in place.

In Figs. 6 and7 the machine is represented with one type tipped plungerraised, the type centered and in the act of printing a character. Themachine as there represented has but few plungers for the purpose ofsimplicity.

The machine described in our previous application, and to which thisdevice is especially applicable, consists, briefly, of elastic spiralplungers, type-tipped, which reciprocate outside curved directing-rods.The power is exerted by pressure of the hand on keys and is transmittedto the elastic plungers by means of levers conveniently arranged. In themachine there described the types when forced upward were centered in afixed funnel or hollow cone, the functions of which are much betterperformed by the device herein described.

The plungers are arranged in the machine in a general circular form, andupon being forced upward rise at different angles,but in a generalvertical direction, and no two of the plungers enter the opening in thebridge at exactly the same angle, therefore the necessity of some devicefor accurately centering the various types to secure an even and regularalignment. The type is secured to the plunger at the proper angle tosecure an accurate horizontal impression on the paper and an evenpressure of its face. The object then of this improvementis toaccurately center the types, and thereby secure a perfect alignment. Thefixed funnel or hollow cone shown in our previous specification, abovereferred to, is not as well adapted for the purpose of centering thetypes, securing clear impressions, and accurate alignment as the deviceherein described, as in its use the types were not accurately centereduntil the moment of striking the paper, in consequence of which slightinaccuracies of alignment, as well as occasional blurred impressions,might occur. It was also attended wit-h considerable friction. By usingthe device herein described these objections are avoided.

The operation of this new device may be thus described: The elasticplunger .I and sleeve F, bearing the type G, is forced upward on acurved directing-rod in the manner described. As it advances toward thecenter and into the opening in the bridge A, in case of inaccuracy ofadjustment it may strike the inclined surface I), by which it is furtherguided toward the center. As it still advances upward it strikes theinclined surface of one or more of the fingers or rockerlevers, by whichit is still further directed toward the center. In its continued upwardpassage it touches all the rocker-levers and raises their inner endsuntil their outer extremities touch a bed or stop. The ink-ribbon,too,is carried up' by this operation. The opening at is now the exactsize to receive the head to which the type is secured, and as the typeenters the opening cl thus contracted (practically a collar) it isexactly central.

The type now passes vertically a short dis tance through the opening (I,presses against the ink-ribbon, and makes an even and regular impressionon the paper secured to the print-roller I-I. As the power causing theupward pressure is removed, the plunger bearing the type drops to itsformerposition, and as soon as the type recedes from the rocker-leverstheir inner ends are pressed downward to their former position by thepressure of the ink-ribbon, which is held at proper tension for thepurpose by the tension-sprin gs D. The opening cl becomes somewhatenlarged, particularly as seen from below, where it assumes the form ofa hollow cone, and the device is in position and ready for anotheroperation. This device assures an accurate centering of every type inthe machine and with a very slight amount of friction.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to securebyLetters Pat- 1. The combination, in type-writing machines, of elastictype-tipped plungers, a metallic bridge with a conical opening at itscenter, and four rocker-levers, all arranged as shown, and for thepurpose specified.

2. lhe combination, in type-writing machines, of elastic type-tippedplungers, a metallic bridge with rocker-levers pivoted thereto, and anink-ribbon and tcnsion-springs, substantially as described, and for thepurposes specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribingwitnesses, on this 15th dayof February,A. D. 1890.

LEWIS T. FOSS.

THOMAS K. KEITH.-

Witnesses:

SETH P. SMITH, GILBERT O. BURNI-IAM.

IIO

